The strongest wind gust recorded in the Azores since the post-tropical storm Gabrielle began impacting the archipelago on Thursday night was 185 kilometers per hour, on the island of Terceira.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that this occurred during the early hours at Serra de Santa Bárbara.
The second highest gust, also according to the NHC, was registered on the island of Faial, which, along with Terceira, belongs to the Central group of islands.
At 2 a.m., the strongest gust recorded on Faial was 123 km/h, but it later increased to 154 km/h in the city of Horta.
This information was provided to Lusa news agency by meteorologist Elsa Vieira from the Azores Regional Delegation of the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), situated in Ponta Delgada on São Miguel island.
‘The highest wind gust recorded by the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere since the post-tropical storm Gabrielle began impacting the Azores was 123 kilometers per hour on Faial.
Lusa | 06:37 – 26/09/2025
The tropical cyclone Gabrielle began affecting the Azores at 10 p.m. local time (11 p.m. in Lisbon), with the IPMA predicting the “most critical period” to be during the early hours.
In the Central Group (Pico, Faial, Graciosa, Terceira, and São Jorge), strong precipitation, wind gusts up to 200 kilometers per hour from the south, shifting to the northwest, and sea agitation with waves between eight to 10 meters high, with maximum waves reaching 14 to 18 meters, are expected.
In the Western group (Flores and Corvo), heavy rainfall and gusts up to 130 kilometers per hour are anticipated, with sea conditions similar to the Central group’s.
Both groups are under several red warnings from the IPMA—the most severe on their three-level scale—until Friday morning.
On the islands of São Miguel and Santa Maria (Eastern group), “occasionally heavy precipitation,” gusts between 100 and 120 kilometers per hour, and waves up to nine meters in height are expected.
The Regional Government has declared an alert situation until 6 p.m. on Friday for the Central and Western groups, prohibiting certain activities.
In these islands, non-urgent and essential public services, including schools, have been closed.
